BBC Learning English
Words in the News
25th April 2011
New claim that Macedonians invented cement
Archaeologists have made a fresh discovery of some of the finest treasures in Ancient Greece.
In addition, from examining buildings in the area, Dr Angeliki Kottaridi believes cement may
have been invented by the Macedonians and not the Romans. Malcolm Brabant reports:
The discoveries were made in a royal complex adjacent to this humble mound, which is
Greece's equivalent of the pyramids.
Recent analysis of buildings here has shown that the Macedonians created cement three
centuries before the Romans, who were previously credited with the invention.
At a time when Greece is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, this discovery is extremely
fortuitous. The Greeks are hoping that tourists will flock to see a building that is second-only
in significance to the Parthenon in Athens.
These are exciting times in Vergina, because Dr. Kottaridi is planning soon to open one of the
sealed tombs, in the hope of discovering more treasure belonging to the dynasty of
Alexander the Great.
Malcolm Brabant, BBC News, Greece
Words in the News © British Broadcasting Corporation 2011
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Vocabulary and definitions
adjacent to beside
humble mound here, modest hill-like structure covered in grass
equivalent of comparable to
credited with acknowledged for (doing or creating something)
teetering on the brink of extremely close to, almost
fortuitous lucky
flock come in very large numbers
second-only in significance second most important
in the hope of in the expectation of
the dynasty the empire or era
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13046299
Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2011/04/110425_witn_cement_discovery_page.shtml
Words in the News © British Broadcasting Corporation 2011
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